Foodie is the New Forty

Food Photo Friday: Jino's Sushi and Bistro

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:45:00 +0000

The lead-up to this post started as a tale of woe about arriving for lunch at a long-time favorite, Bistro 88, and discovering the doors locked and an ominous chain strung across the door. When I looked at the lunch menu for the establishment that replaced it, Jino's Sushi and Bistro, my heart sank a little. One of the four appetizers was krab rangoon, and a sweet and sour dish topped the entreé list. I sent out a tweet in an attempt to discover some back story, and Mike Sutter from Fed Man Walking tweeted back that it was owned by a Suzi's alum and that the chef - Chef Choo - was previously at Afin. My heart sank a little more.

But my screen name isn't Optimista for nothing, so I ventured in with a fellow foodie for lunch last week. Both of us assiduously avoided the Suzi's-esque side of the menu and ordered a sushi combo plate. Mine came with miso soup, salad, four pieces of nigiri and a "Mr. Jino Roll" (shrimp tempura, avocado and cucumber topped with spicy tuna, spicy sauce, and tempura flakes)($17).

If you've been to Afin, you'll recognize the unconventional flavors here. This is by no means a traditional sushi joint; whether that's a good thing or not depends on your palate. I personally found the sauces interesting, if not all perfectly complementary, and the nigiri was very generously sliced and fresh. Given that this location is such a convenient spot for me to meet downtowners for lunch, I'll undoubtedly be back, although it'll likely take some persuading for me to venture off the sushi side of the menu.

Jino's Bistro & Sushi
2712 Bee Caves Road
Austin, TX 78746
(512) 347-7707
Website

Food Photo(s) Friday: Bistrot Mirabelle

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:45:00 +0000

Although I didn't go nearly often enough, I was sad about the passing of Mirabelle. There had been enough celebratory dinners there - and enough bottles of reasonably-priced wine - to think of the place as an old friend.

But at the hands of an experienced new owner, Bistrot Mirabelle has risen from the ashes and is bringing French cooking to Northwest Hills. I was invited to a media tasting for the new restaurant this week, and my first glimpse was promising indeed. We started with a few hors d'oeuvres:

Steak tartare made with American Kobe combined with dijon vinaigrette, egg yolks, shallots, and capers. The mix on these flavors was just right - the vinaigrette really sang and had just the right amount of bite, but wasn't so overpowering that I couldn't taste the meat.

Duck liver mousse with house-made pickles. You can't really go wrong with duck liver anything, as far as I'm concerned.

Duck rillettes with apple butter. Very nice combination; duck is one of the few meats that I like paired with fruit.

We also got to try their mussels, which were served in a white wine sauce and topped with pommes frites. The frites were hot and crispy and delicious, and I loved the sauce with the mussels, which made me wish I had a bit of baguette with which to sop it up.

I don't know why this photo makes the fries look like they would glow in the dark. I think it might've been my alien lights.

We ended the tasting with some serious decadence: linguine with a truffle walnut creme sauce, topped with sweetbreads and fried sage.

Holy moly, this was rich - and soooo delicious. I've never had sweetbreads with pasta before, and the truffle walnut creme sauce was just as incredible as it sounds. Those French women who don't get fat? I suspect they weren't eating much of this.

Definitely intrigued by this peek into the new Mirabelle - looking forward to heading back there soon for a regular meal!

Bistrot Mirabelle
8127 Mesa Drive
Austin, TX 78759
Website
Facebook page

Food Photo(s) Friday: FINO

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 13:45:00 +0000

Sometimes, you just need a well-crafted cocktail with a big ice cube that's perfectly engineered for the size of your glass, so it doesn't melt too quickly and water down your drink. Maybe you need there to be a tree of mint in it.

Neon Indian Paintbrush - Hacienda de Chihuahua Sotol resposado, Zirbenz stone pine, agave nectar, Peychaud's bitters, and mint (alas, no longer on the menu, but you can sometimes get one anyway, or you can order the Ghost of the Pine, which IS on the menu and is similar). One of either of these cocktails and a good friend will melt away the worst of days.

Of course, as you're sipping your refreshing beverage, you need something to munch on. Sumac potato chips with a lemon yogurt dip, perhaps? A slice of Spanish tortilla swimming in aioli? Grilled baby octopus with piquillo peppers? A pair of tender, decadent pork ribs? Fried anchovy stuffed olives?

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Hell yes.

Oh. Hell. Yes.

The food and the drinks at FINO will always hold your interest, will make the people around you seem more interesting, and will turn around the day of even the crabbiest McCrabberton (ask my friend Kimberly about how cranky I was last time I met her there...and about how quickly I snapped out of it after my first few sips of Neon Indian Paintbrush.)

Be sure to pay homage to the big O on your way out.

FINO
2905 San Gabriel Street
Austin, TX 78705
Website
Facebook page

Black Pepper Butter Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 13:45:00 +0000

I was recently invited to a cookie swap at my dear friend Carla's house, and went on the hunt for a fun new cookie recipe to try. Inspired by a toe-curlingly delicious black pepper creme brulée I'd tasted earlier this month at Peché, I went on the hunt for a cookie that could similarly evoke that delightful "sweet, but reminiscent of something savory" flavor that the creme brulée had for me.

I lighted upon this recipe, and went to work. I followed the recipe pretty much as written, except that I rolled the cookies slightly larger (1/2 inch balls are awfully small!) and didn't press them down as much as the author seems to have based on the photos. The recipe made quite a few more cookies than it said it would - I made 1-1/2 times the recipe, which was supposed to yield 72 cookies, and ended up with twice that many! No matter, though; they are quite small (they don't spread much), so you really won't mind having an army of them.

Ready for baking

Stack o' yum

Behold the butter cookie!

Buttery. Sweet. But not too sweet, and with a subtle, black peppery bite. Winner!

I'm making more tomorrow.

* * * * *

Black Pepper Butter Cookies

This recipe is supposed to yield 4 dozen cookies. Even if you roll the balls to about 1" in diameter, I think you will get at least double that.

Ingredients:

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup sweet unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1-1/2 teaspoons black pepper
extra sugar, for dipping glass

Directions:

Mix all ingredients (except for the extra sugar for dipping the glass) together well using a heavy duty mixer.

Roll the dough into balls about 1" in diameter. I used a 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon to scoop the dough as I was rolling my cookies, and that seemed to work pretty well.

Use the flat base of a drinking glass that has been dipped into sugar to gently flatten each dough ball on the cookie sheets. Don't worry; the sugar WILL stick to the glass after you press your first butter-laden cookie!

Bake in a preheated 350˚ F (or 180˚ C) oven for 8-11 minutes or until lightly browned on the edges. Do not overbake.

Remove to wire racks to cool.

A Tour of Noodles & Company - and a GIVEAWAY!

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 13:45:00 +0000

I became convinced of the efficacy of low-carb diets way back in the early 90's sometime. Unfortunately for Dr. Atkins and his carb-eschewing brethren, though, I was a devotee of carbs for too long before that to be able to permanently change my ways.

So when the lovely Lisa O'Neill emailed me to ask whether I'd be interested in doing a complimentary media tasting at Noodles & Company, well, I couldn't resist.

Noodles & Company is a chain that started in Colorado, and that has newly expanded to the Austin market. They opened two locations in rapid succession - one on Anderson Lane and one on the Drag - and have a third, Arboretum location on the way early next month. They serve made-to-order pasta dishes, sandwiches, salads and soups from three different genres: Asian, Mediterranean, and American. I'm typically skeptical of places that offer more than one specific type of cuisine, but the tie that binds here is a proficiency at cooking pasta just right and using that as a springboard for a variety of different sauces and styles.

While I don't typically consider large chain restaurants a part of my "beat" as a food blogger, I ultimately decided to cover it for two reasons: first, because it's new to the scene; and second, because - let's face it - sometimes we need food quickly and on a budget, and I don't know of any local business occupying the pasta-as-fast-food niche. Below is the little tour of the Noodles & Company menu that I received. While you look at these photos, please keep in mind that every single one of the dishes pictured below was served to me and one other person. When Lisa said I was getting a tour, I didn't realize that she actually meant a smorgasbord.

They started us with a couple of salads and an order of their chicken potstickers:

Mediterranean salad - romaine, mixed greens, tomato, cucumbers, red onion, olives, cavatappi pasta, and feta, topped with a spicy yogurt dressing. Loved the dressing - it had a nice little kick to it!

Spinach salad with homemade croutons, pecans, strawberries, blue cheese, red onions, bacon, and a balsamic fig glaze. If you like strawberry spinach salads, this one is an very nice example at this price point ($4.25 for a small; $5.35 for a regular).

Chicken potstickers $2.95 for three; $4.95 for six) - I knew they'd have to do the most convincing with me on the Asian dishes, and I was right. These potstickers were good enough, but they were oddly flat instead of round, and they definitely were not my mom's potstickers.

Then came a couple of sandwiches with soups:

Mmmeatball sandwich, served with chicken noodle soup. I would never in a million years have chosen this from the menu, but I was surprised at how much I liked it. The sandwiches are all served with your choice of any soup or salad, and ring in at $6.99 - very affordable when you consider the portion size.

Mediterranean sandwich (chicken, mushrooms, spinach, red bell peppers, cucumber, red onion, cilantro, feta, and that same spicy dressing from the Mediterranean salad, served on flatbread). Very fresh and bright, and loaded with juicy cucumber. This one came with a side of their Thai curry soup, which had a lovely, comforting sweet note to it. I'm not sure I would have put this combination together, but it wasn't objectionable, either, and I would absolutely order either one (and maybe even both together) on a return visit.

Japanese pan noodles - carmelized udon noodles in a sweet soy sauce, with broccoli, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, bean sprouts, black sesame, and cilantro. This dish had a stick-to-your-ribs quality to it that would be great in cold weather. I'd love to try it with beef (ours came with tofu, which had a nice, sautéed finish).

Pad thai with shrimp. This is a dish that I almost can never bring myself to order in restaurants, because I so prefer my own interpretation, which is heavy on spice (read: garlic) and probably nothing like what pad thai is really supposed to taste like. Restaurant pad thai is invariably way too sweet for me. This version was no exception, although I'd say it held its own in the restaurant pad thai universe.

This was right about the time that Jason, our host, told us we were half done.

I went and picked up a large stack of to-go boxes.

Pasta Fresca - penne with balsamic, olive oil, white wine and roasted garlic, tossed with tomato, spinach, red onion, and feta. I think this was my least favorite of all the dishes we ate that day - the balsamic was a little overpowering, and made the dish taste like it was a salad as opposed to an entrée.

Penne Rosa - penne in a spicy tomato cream sauce with mushrooms, tomato, spinach, wine, and parmesan.

Wisconsin mac 'n' cheese. Doesn't really require any explanation, does it? This one was served with a really lovely parmesan-crusted chicken breast.

One of their seasonal specials, the chili mac. Mac 'n' cheese smothered in chili.

Aaaaand my hands-down favorite of the day, their truffle mac. Mac 'n' cheese topped with baby portabellas, white truffle oil (purrrrrrr!) and parmesan. YES. I loved this so much that I ordered some huge bowls of it with the cavatappi pasta (the curly pasta from the first salad) and served it to my Wine Club. Two of my friends who are excellent chefs took doggie bags home with them...a strong endorsement, indeed.

Jason topped us off with the largest wedge of rice crispie treat I have ever seen in my life, and two huge cookies, both of which were delicious when I ate them much, much, much later. The rice crispie treat was soft and delightful - they make these twice a day to ensure that you get them while they're still gooey.

We had a week's worth of lunches to spare.

Stuff you should know:
• Everything is prepared to order. Substitutions are totally okay. You want stroganoff, only with udon noodles? No problem (but just know that you're weird).
• LOTS of vegetarian-friendly options. All the dishes, with one exception (the pad thai, which has fish sauce in the sauce) are prepared vegetarian. You choose your own protein (or no protein).
• Unfortunately, the only dish that is gluten-free is the pad thai. You can substitute GF rice noodles in any dish, but most of the sauces have at least some gluten in them.

* * *

If you made it this far, you deserve to WIN SOMETHING. Noodles & Company very generously gave me some coupons for free entrées so you can come in and try their offerings for yourselves. Four lucky winners will each get a pair of coupons so they can treat a friend to a meal, too! Or use them both yourself - I won't tell. Coupons expire on December 31, 2011, so you'll need to use them before the end of the year.

To enter, please leave a comment below telling me which of Noodles & Co's entrées you'd most like to try. So many pastabilities to choose from! (groan). Please be sure I have some way of contacting you if you win.

For a second entry, "Like" this blog's Facebook page and leave a comment here letting me know you've done so (if you've already "Liked" it, you can just let me know that in your first comment).

Entries close at 5:00 p.m. CST on Sunday, December 4th. I'll choose a winner using random.org sometime that night. Even if you don't live in Austin, feel free to enter if there is a Noodles & Company in your city! The coupons do not restrict use to Austin.

Good luck!

The Day I Became a Sandwich Lover: Lucky's Puccias

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 15:45:00 +0000

Have you ever had the experience of eating something so amazing that you immediately regretted all those previous meals that didn't involve said item?

That happened to me last week during my first visit to Lucky's Puccias.

Nestled on the patio of the Tiniest Bar in Texas, Lucky's offers up wood-fired Italian sandwiches. Now, sandwiches aren't usually my first choice when it comes to selecting a meal; I love bread, but for some reason, I don't usually want it taking up so much space in the main course compartment of my plate. But the wood-fired goodness that is Lucky's puccia bread is more like soft, airy, fragrant pizza dough. Nestle some paper-thin prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, juicy tomato, peppery arugula, basil oil (!!!), and chipotle mayo up in there, and you've got yourself a serious treat.

The Lucky's Puccia, $9.25

They don't bake the bread till you order it, so it comes out hot and fresh and warms up the ribbons of prosciutto so that they very nearly melt in your mouth. Seriously, I'm getting all verklempt over here just thinking about this thing.

Which is why I'm adding this more or less redundant post to the chorus of bloggers and Yelpers and other food writers who have already covered this place - in case there is a single poor soul out there who hasn't been, perhaps I might help light their path to the mecca that is Lucky's Puccias.

Food Photo Friday - Walton's Fancy & Staple

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 12:45:00 +0000

I should have styled this sandwich better. But the scent of the pastrami was wafting suggestively up at me, and the come-hither ooze of the mustard was too much to bear. So I'm afraid you'll have to settle for this "quickie" shot of my pastrami sandwich lunch from Walton's Fancy & Staple.

I love Walton's. Their sandwich prices are a little on the fancy side, but the sweet delights beckoning from the bakery counter are surprisingly affordable. And everything I've tasted here has fit perfectly with the charming and sunny space. In the beauty pageant of lunch spots, this Miss Congeniality has a real shot at the crown.

La Dolce Vita

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 13:30:00 +0000

Ah, fall. The departure of summer in Austin always has us all breathing a sigh of relief - particularly this year, when the relentless parade of 100+ degree temps coupled with one of the worst droughts Central Texas has ever seen had us all wondering whether summer would ever leave again. But sure enough, the temperatures have magically dropped (to the mid-80s, mind you), which means it was time for another round of one of my favorite fundraisers in Austin, La Dolce Vita.

I have previously blogged about this fantastic event, so I won't go into all the gory details, but it is for sure one of the best food events in Austin. Hats off to the amazing folks who put together the staggering list of fabulous restaurants and wine & spirits purveyors who participate every year.

I didn't take a lot of photos this year; juggling a plate, a wine glass, a camera, and my nerd lights in the midst of what is always a pressing crowd is a little harrowing, to say the least. But I did at least manage to snap a pic of my favorite bite of the evening, a stunning pork belly and foie paté banh mi from a restaurant that has yet to open, Swift's Attic. They are currently under construction in the space that formerly housed Kyoto, and hope to open in December of this year. If this bite of utter decadence was any indication, it should be well worth a visit.

I also loved these salmon rolls from Imperia - nori pastry cones filled with miso salmon tartare and topped with cured salmon skin and ikura (salmon roe).

Other favorite bites: duck two ways over a wonderful quinoa from Paggi House (their panna cotta was also to die for); and braised short ribs over pumpkin puree from Moonshine.

Here's my Instagrammed photo of the band, which was excellent - does anybody know who they were?

I ate and drank myself silly. This performance artist from last year's La Dolce Vita perfectly summarized how I felt by the end of the evening.

Food Photo Friday - La Sombra

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 12:45:00 +0000

Setting aside my inane desire to break out in a chorus of "La Bomba" every time I walk in the door, La Sombra has grown on me since my first visit during their soft opening last summer. I love their empanadas, their quail skewers, and that crazy chacero sandwich packed with hangar steak, French green beans, avocado, and some other stuff that nobody cares about because the first three ingredients have stolen the show.

On my most recent visit, I tried their special, a nod to Asian influences on Latin American cuisine. Asian style noodles were tossed with tender mussels and Chinese sausage and finished with a sprinkling of scallions. It was beautiful.

Our server, Scott, was an absolute prince when we sent the first plate back to the kitchen and brought a second plate that was significantly less salty and, not coincidentally, also significantly more delicious. Service like that will keep me coming back to a place. Especially if that place is close to my house and allows dogs on their patio.

I wonder if I can teach Mindy to dance to Ricky Martin.

Ya? Ya! YaYa Cafe and Shaved Ice

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 12:45:00 +0000

Open a solid Asian restaurant in Austin, and I will appreciate you.

Open a solid Asian restaurant in Central Austin within a few miles of my house that is open until 10:00 p.m., and I will kiss your feet and throw rose petals on the path before you.

OK, maybe not. But I will eat there. Often. And I will be deeply grateful.

It was with high hopes that I darkened the doors of YaYa Cafe and Shaved Ice for the first time a few weeks ago. I sampled their spring rolls, a pork vermicelli bowl, and the wonton soup.

The spring rolls were a little on the soft side, which made them a little difficult to eat - they didn't hold together as well as I would've liked. But they were still a nice treat, and the accompanying peanut sauce laced with chili had just the right measures of both sweet and heat to keep things interesting.

The vermicelli was fresh and well-made. The pork had a nice char on it, and wonderful flavor. There was a fair amount of lettuce filler on the bottom, but the serving bowl was huge, so the portion was still plenty for me.

This wonton soup wasn't mine, but of course I tasted it anyway. The soup could've used a little bit more oomph, but the wonton skins were happily quite delicate, and avoided the coarseness often found in restaurant wonton. I was impressed.

A second visit ensued within the week. This time, I was there for lunch, and tried their iced tea. Jasmine in just the right measure mixed with a quality green tea had me swooning; I asked where they acquired it, and was told they import it from Hong Kong. I guess I'll have to come here to get my fix.

This time, I sampled my friend's cabbage salad. At first I thought it was too bland, but later bites revealed that it was just a little unevenly dressed, and the well-dressed bites were fresh and delicious.

I was pleased to discover that their banh mi also hold their own; clearly my favorites in the Central Austin banh mi landscape, although that field is admittedly painfully small.

YaYa's may not be a deeply authentic Vietnamese food experience, but the flavors I encountered here suggested to me that there is someone in the kitchen with a keen palate who cares about what's landing on the table in front of you. I feel quite sure that I'll be back frequently, and I'm thrilled that they've brought quality Vietnamese food to Central Austin.

Food Photo Friday - Dai Due

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 11:53:00 +0000

Our friends from Bola Pizza weren't at the downtown Austin SFC Farmer's Market last Saturday, so we were forced to eat outside the box. Fortunately, the folks at Dai Due had our backs with this decadent maple pork belly on Texas toast with a fried duck egg on top. It was a great way to start the weekend.

Although I didn't get a photo of them, the peaches from Lightsey Farms were phenomenal. Truly as sweet as candy; I hope they're there this weekend.

What are your favorite farmer's market finds?

Hidden Gem: Al Sur Latin American Bistro

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 12:45:00 +0000

One of the reasons I write this blog is that I love connecting people to the things they need. I enjoy helping folks find everything from the best al pastor in town to the perfect restaurant for their Aunt Gussie's 90th birthday luncheon. On the flip side, I am passionate about spreading the word about hardworking business owners who are making a go of their dream and need some help getting customers in the door.

I've recently discovered a restaurant that falls into the latter category, Al Sur Latin American Bistro. Saying that I "discovered" it actually means that I finally made my way over to try a place that Yelpers and Chowhounders have been raving about for the seven months it's been open. But both times I've visited, the place has been nearly empty. I just don't understand why it's not getting more traffic; it certainly should be.

As is obvious by the name, Al Sur serves Latin American cuisine, and - full disclosure, here - I know precious little about that food genre. What I do know is that I enjoyed two reasonably-priced, delicious meals there, and that the owner, Boris, engaged us in friendly conversations both times. The decor is pretty sparse, but what Al Sur lacks in showiness it makes up for in heart. Here's a little tour of what we've tried so far.

Complimentary chips & salsa. The salsa has a hearty, smoky flavor.

House salad ($4.95). The dressing is creamy, but light - and sure tastes house-made. I loved the fried green plantains that accompanied it.

Papas a la huancaina (oven-roasted potatoes topped with a huancaina sauce and a partial ear of choclo)($5.50). This is more carb-heavy than I typically order, but it was tasty, and the huge, chewy kernels on the choclo were a treat.

Empanadas ($4.85 for three - your choice of ground beef/potatoes or chicken). These are a real bargain. They're fried and wonderfully flaky, and the chimichurri served with it packs a delightful, garlicky punch.

Speaking of garlicky punch, these Camarones al mojo de ajo ($11.45) meld the age-old (and winning) combination of garlic, butter and shrimp. Never mind that the shrimp are still swimming; I like them that way, thank you very much.

Pescado en salsa capers ($10.45). The chef here clearly shares my belief that seafood is just too healthy on its own, so dousing it in buttery or creamy sauces is a good plan. The plentiful capers added a nice zing.

The crowning glory, the crepas de cajeta ($6.85). Fantastic crepes with just the right amount of egg-y flavor, adorned with creamy cajeta, pecans, and vanilla ice cream. Heaven.

Al Sur resides in the same strip mall as the Cap City Comedy Club, right near 183 and Lamar. Hurry over and support Boris and his crew; you won't be disappointed.

Al Sur Latin American Bistro
8120 Research Blvd.
Austin, TX 78758
(512) 419-7554
Their website
Their Facebook page

GIVEAWAY! Buy With Me Voucher for the new BLVD Espresso & Dessert Bar

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 21:30:00 +0000

I swear, I think it is just too damn hot to blog. Yes, I know that it doesn't make sense to say it's too hot to sit inside my air-conditioned house and write a blog post, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Since there isn't much to see here at the moment, perhaps you should leave your computer and check out BLVD Espresso & Dessert Bar, a new addition to the 2nd Street District (where Teuscher used to be, may it RIP).

BLVD Espresso & Dessert Bar

BLVD Espresso & Dessert Bar

BLVD offers coffee and tea drinks (including local favorites Cuvee Coffee and Zhi tea) pastries from Bakerman's, a selection of chocolate bars and other goodies, and a small assortment of gelatos from TEO to help cool your insides while you're cooling your heels in their lovely climate-controlled environment.

Wonderful strawberry sorbetto!

Deal site BuyWithMe Austin has generously contributed one of their $10 BLVD vouchers to give away to a lucky blog reader! BuyWithMe sells deals to local businesses for up to 90% off - their website is linked above, and you can also stay apprised of their deals with the help of their Facebook page and Twitter account.

Here's how you enter:
1. "Like" Buy With Me Austin's Facebook page. Leave a comment here telling me you've done so. You MUST do this to enter the drawing.

2. For one additional entry, you can "Like" this blog's Facebook page. Then leave a comment here telling me you've done so. If you've already done so previously, that'll work - just leave a comment telling me!

3. For one more additional entry, tweet the following: "Visit @foodiethenew40's blog to win a $10 @BuyWithMeAustin voucher for BLVD Espresso & Dessert! http://bit.ly/ob2rEY".

That's it! Entries will close at 6:00 p.m. CST on Wednesday, August 3rd, and I'll pick a winner that night.

Good luck, and stay gold, Ponyboy!

Food Photo Friday - Seaweed Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 12:45:00 +0000

If you were to create a Venn diagram of the set of food that is tasty and the set of food that is healthy, the intersection of the two sets would be pitifully small. See for yourself:

One dish that hangs out in that intersection also happens to be one of my favorite things - seaweed salad. The cool, fresh crunch of the seaweed and the fragrant sesame oil are the perfect antidote to the oppressive heat outside.

According to Livestrong, seaweed salad helps you lose weight by discouraging fat absorption.

Does this mean I can have another spider roll? If so, please pass the seaweed salad.

What are your favorite healthy foods?

Food Photo(s) Friday - Hopdoddy Heaven

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 15:56:00 +0000

Hello, Lover.

It may not be winning any awards for healthiest meal, but daaaaaaamn, it's worth it. Hopdoddy's burgers are my favorites in town, hands down. So juicy, so thick, so meaty, so de-luscious. And their fries aren't too shabby, either. They grind their own beef and cut their own fries from Kennebec potatoes. Everything is just so fresh and amazing.

I usually get the Greek burger. Lamb, feta cheese, arugula, pickled red onions, and tzatziki sauce. In other words, heaven in a perfect house-made bun.

Speaking of their house-made buns, they also offer house-made puns.

Be sure to grab a beer to go with your meal. Hopdoddy's is always served ice-cold in huge, frosty mugs. A perfect way to wash it all down.

Is it lunchtime, yet?

Food Photo(s) Friday - Hot Dog King

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 12:45:00 +0000

Workin' all week, 9 to 5 for my money
So when I go out to eat it had better be yummy
Rollin' down the street, I saw this food truck it was pumpin'
I winked my eye, got outta my ride, walked on over, it was jumpin'
Checked the menu; finally said, "A Deer Dog's my desire,"
She said, "One venison dog comin' up, baby doll - and these jalapenos are on fire,"
Word to the ranks: if you want a great frank, look no further than Hot Dog King
They're so all right that baby, just one bite will make you want to do the wild thing.

- Wild Thing, revised (with apologies to Ton Loc)

Deer Dog made with local smoked venison sausage (onions and jalapenos are add-ons) - $4

Chili cheese dog (Fritos added!) - $5 (without the Fritos)

The King.*

*Actually, THIS is a picture of The King. And it is awesome.

Hot Dog King
8th and Red River Streets
Austin, Texas
Their website

Contigo Austin

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Fri, 27 May 2011 11:24:00 +0000

Oh...uh...hi!

You're still there?

Cool!

Sorry for the lack of posting; I'm not sure exactly what happened there, except that I've just been a little overwhelmed with life. Nothing serious; just enough to keep me from staying as engaged with this process as I'd like. But I'm back!

And, of course, I have lots to share with you.

Last night, I finally got to venture out to try Contigo Austin. I first read about Contigo on Jodi Bart's wonderful blog, Tasty Touring, and as soon as I read her post, I knew I needed to try this place. I have a huge soft spot for places that are casual enough that I can show up in shorts but that still provide a great dining experience, and it's a huge bonus if they are also dog-friendly. Contigo fit all these criteria.

So, my friend Liz and I (and Mindy) spent the lovely summer evening on the patio at Contigo sampling their fare. And by "sampling," I mean that the two of us ordered a boatload of food and then managed to leave with it all in our bellies.

I started with one of Contigo's cocktails, the El Pepino ($7): tequila, cucumber water, lime, and just a whisper of mint. So delicious and refreshing, and quite dangerously easy to drink.

The first food to arrive was the house pickles ($4) - green tomato, green beans, and cucumber. These were super vinegary and were the only thing we tried that I probably wouldn't order again (although I was sort of glad we had them, as the acidity helped cut through the heaviness of the other stuff we ordered).

Next up were the "crispy green beans," ($6) which don't necessarily sound like they're deep-fried, but I knew from Jodi's post that they would be. These were really tender and delicious, and the batter had just the right amount of salt in it. I liked the sambal aioli that came with them, as well.

I was dead-set on trying one of Contigo's house-made charcuterie offerings, so ordered the crepinette ($7), which our server described as a patty of pork sausage meat mixed with reconstituted earl grey currants and crimini mushrooms, and encased in a netting of fat (!!). Uh, yes, please.

I loved this. The texture of the pork was hearty, and the flavor was rich but still nice and clean, and wasn't muddled with that greasy aftertaste that you sometimes get with low quality sausage. The herb salad made a nice, bright complement to the meat.

Mindy asked Liz several times if she could have some, but fortunately, Liz was not swayed by her hopeful attention.

We also tried the cauliflower gratin ($7). Cauliflower was lightly cooked (it still had a little crunch to it) and topped with parmesan, toasted almonds, and a balsamic reduction. It's not listed on the menu, but I think I detected a bit of cream in the sauce, as well.

It wouldn't be patio dining without a mess of fries, right? So we got some of those, as well ($4). Fries + aioli are such a fine combination, and these were nice and crispy and, like the green beans, perfectly salty.

I really enjoyed my first experience here and hope to be back again soon. I love the restaurant's concept - basically, "We love our South Texas ranch, and since we can't bring everyone down there, we're bringing the ranch to you." I'm so glad they did.

Contigo Austin
2027 Anchor Lane
Austin, Texas 78723
(512) 614-2260
Their website

Galveston, Texas (Instagram edition)

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Wed, 11 May 2011 12:45:00 +0000

We just spent an altogether too short weekend in Galveston, on the Texas coast. We were there for less than 48 hours, but I came away refreshed, relaxed, and recharged. In the future, I'll endeavor not to soon forget the healing power of the salty sea breezes and a long stretch of beach.

Inspired by this post by my friend and photographer idol, Penny de los Santos, I dove headfirst into a fabulous and free iPhone app called Instagram for my shots of the trip. Instagram allows you to apply one of a number of filters to your photo, giving you the potential of turning a decent shot into something much more interesting. There is also a cool social media component that allows you to "follow" users and comment on other users' photos (if you want to find me, my username there is "optimista"). It's a very neat way to create and share your images.

Since I have so many images I want to share here, I'll refrain from my usual barrage of verbosity and let the photos speak for themselves.

All in the Family

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Sun, 08 May 2011 05:03:00 +0000

Today is a very special day. Of course, it's Mother's Day. It is also my dad's birthday. And, as if that weren't enough, it is also my sister-in-law's birthday!

All three of them are awesome people, and I feel so lucky to be related to all of them.

I definitely got my love of food from my parents. If you've read my blog for any length of time, you've probably seen the amaaaazing food my mom makes. Many of my favorites of her dishes are featured on this post. She and I have very similar food taste, and will frequently be eyeing the same things on the menu when we go out to eat.

My dad is a good cook, too, although it was a rare sight to see him standing in front of the stove. But I credit him with my love of dark meat and my sweet tooth (and, more specifically, the feelings of nostalgia I experience whenever I eat soft serve from Dairy Queen).

Here is a photo of them on their wedding day. Aren't they the cutest?

And here's a photo of them from last Christmas, when my dad surprised my mom with a ring at the end of the gift-giving. I love that my dad was so thoughtful to have surprised my mom with a gift like that after forty-seven (!!!) years.

They are the best parents I could ever have asked for and I love them so much.

As for my sister-in-law, not only is she a fabulous woman and a wonderful partner for my brother, but she also cooked up the cutest baby in the universe.

Happy, happy birthday R and Dad, and Happy Mother's Day, R and Mom! Wish I were there to celebrate with you guys! Love you all.

Food Photo Friday - Zax

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Fri, 06 May 2011 12:45:00 +0000

My pants suggested to me the other day that perhaps it might be nice if I integrated some more salads into my diet. I try to keep my pants happy, but I also know how important it is to keep my taste buds happy, so I offered my pants a compromise: salads from Zax.

My first salad true love at Zax was the shrimp remoulade. Large, fresh shrimp in a creamy remoulade sauce, over bright greens, tomato, and generous slices of always-perfectly-ripened avocado. Served with a spot of seasoned, crouton-like toast so you don't feel too carb-deprived.

Last time I was there, I got all wild and crazy and tried the steak salad. Again with the crisp greens and tomatoes, only this time they woo you with a nicely seasoned portion of New York strip and sneak in some bleu cheese and crispy fried onions. "Hey Pants," I said, "You didn't specify what kind of salad."

For the salad-averse, Zax also offers a nice selection of sandwiches (including burgers), pizzas, pastas, and other "appeal to everyone" choices. Everything I've tried there has been made well and delicious. The space is filled with sunlight and always pleasant, and they have a dog-friendly patio for soaking in this fine weather we're experiencing. Oh, and they offer a nice selection of brunch dishes on the weekends (see here to get a gander at their corned beef hash), along with a build-your-own bloody Mary bar. I like to play a little game with myself to see how many olives, pickled okra, and gherkins I can skewer on one cocktail swizzler.

I could've fit another gherkin on this one.

Zax Restaurant & Bar
312 Barton Springs Road
Austin , TX 78704
(512) 481-0100

Food Photo Friday - G'raj Mahal

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 23:13:00 +0000

Most of the dishes at G'raj Mahal, while delicious, are not particularly photogenic. Chunks of protein swimming in sauce and served in a cardboard bowl do not make for the most compelling photos (but don't think I didn't try).

The exception is their rack of lamb, which is cooked to tender perfection in their tandoor oven. This dish is now going to be a staple every time I visit G'raj Mahal, along with their fantastic beef kashmiri, which was far less sweet and delivered more of a kick than I expected. If you go in search of these dishes - which you should - try not to arrive at peak hours, as they curtail their lamb tandoor production when it's too busy.

Tasty, tender, spicy goodness on a plate.

On the other hand, if you're there when it's not too crowded, you might feel more intimidated by the critters that make up the Austin Bike Zoo. They are typically hanging around G'raj Mahal, casting their beady eyes upon the diners, plotting their next move.

Quietly encircling the unwary masses.

Sweet butterfly bicycle, or creepy alien food-stealer? You decide.

Food Photo(s) Friday - Austin Restaurant Week at Uchiko

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 12:49:00 +0000

It's official - I am in love with Austin Restaurant Week. After using it as an excuse to visit four "special occasion" restaurants in two weeks, how could I not? More importantly, this week I ate at Uchi and Uchiko on back-to-back nights. That pretty much qualifies this as the best week ever, in my book.

I have long thought that I preferred Uchiko over Uchi. My favorite meal in 2010 (which, regrettably, I never got around to blogging about) was at Uchiko. But my ARW meal at Uchi was so mindblowing that I am forced to re-evaluate that stance (requiring additional "research" meals, of course). It was so epic that it requires a full blog post, not just a Food Photo Friday. So, here you're going to get photos of my ARW Uchiko meal. Although it was not as good as the Uchi meal, it was still excellent, and I for sure would not have kicked it out of bed for eating crackers, if you know what I mean.

We started with an amuse bouche of house-made sweet potato chips, served with a sweet potato purée.

Although it was not on the Restaurant Week menu, we knew we had to get an order of Uchiko's edamame, which is the best I've ever had and doesn't cost any more than a bowl of edamame at any other restaurant. It's grilled, which adds a smoky, roasted quality to the beans that tastes fantastic.

In order to maximize the number of things we got to taste, we each ordered different things for each of our three courses. Our terrific server, Robert, orchestrated the meal so the courses landed one at a time.

First up was the yokai berry - raw Atlantic salmon served with dinosaur kale chips, Asian pear, bluberries, and yuzu. The yuzu was pretty sour and overpowered the other ingredients a little, but I liked the salmon-Asian pear-kale combination.

Next was the Shag roll, made famous by Uchi and beloved at Uchiko, as well. It's a roll with salmon and sundried tomato that's been tempura fried and topped with spicy sauce. I personally think that frying a sushi roll robs it of some of its best qualities - the lightness of the raw fish and the slight chewiness of the nori - but like I said, its a crowd favorite, so who am I to say?

Our first entrée was the wagyu prime rib, which was dressed in some sort of vinegary sauce and served with fresh wasabi root, candied garlic, and parsley. I honestly would've preferred a more straight-up soy sauce preparation on this, but the beef was very tender and flavorful.

Oh, pork belly. I can't quit you. Uchiko's ninjin bacon dish showcases grilled kurobata pork belly on a bed of pecan soil and topped with fabulously architectural carrots. Yesssssss.

For dessert, we started with their sweet corn sorbet, which comes with a wonderful polenta custard and is sprinkled with a bit of caramel salt. Caramel salt!

I chose the chevre fondant, which is accompanied by the loveliest tomato sorbet and a Sicilian pistachio soil. I was totally wowed by the way the fresh tomato flavor infused the sorbet - that is some dessert genius, right there.

Just when we thought it was over, Robert presented us with a complimentary order of their "dirt and berries" dessert. This is the kind of innovation that makes Uchi and Uchiko great, IMO. A thin layer of foie gras mousse is covered with a pumpernickel "dirt," out of which fresh and dehydrated Poteet strawberries are "growing." Beautiful, playful, and fodder for both the mind and the palate.

Now, if you'll pardon me, I have some exercising to do. Happy Friday!

Austin Restaurant Week - Parkside and III Forks

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 11:45:00 +0000

The spring installation of Austin Restaurant Week 2011 is halfway over, but there are still four more days to snag yourself a multi-course brunch, lunch or dinner at a special Restaurant Week price. I've hit two places so far, both for dinner - Parkside and III Forks. I enjoyed both experiences thoroughly, and would definitely recommend either if you're still thinking about adding another notch to your Restaurant Week belt (I know I'll be needing a new notch on my belt, soon, and not in any proverbial way).

Some scenes from my Restaurant Week so far:

Buttery loaf from Parkside

Parisian gnocchi appetizer from Parkside (served with braised lamb, ramps, radish, swiss chard, & orange).

Chris' very spring-y farm rabbit entrée at Parkside. That pretty green pool is a green garlic broth.

My grilled bass entrée from Parkside - served with green olives, artichoke, foraged mushrooms, spring onion, lemon, and Espelette peppers.

Parkside's lovely and light frozen Meyer lemon soufflé.

And from III Forks:

Wedge salad. The large tomato was giving the small head of lettuce a run for its money.

Bacon-wrapped filet with red wine demi-glaze and bernaise sauce. This ridiculously tender filet tasted like it had been injected with bacon...it was warm and rich and bacon-y like all get out. Served with sugar snap peas and duchess whipped potatoes which were too whipped and wayyyy too salty for my taste (and I LOVE salt). No matter; it was easy to ignore them with that filet in front of me.

I kind of can't believe I ate this piece of chocolate ganache cake after conquering the two plates above.
But I did.

Each of these meals was $35 for Restaurant Week. I'm not sure whether it's exactly the same, but an 8 oz filet is usually $37.95 at III Forks, and their wedge salad is $8.25, so this was a great deal.

You can check out the list of participating restaurants, browse their menus, and even make reservations on the Austin Restaurant Week website, here. Restaurant Week continues through this Wednesday.

Where have you been for Restaurant Week so far? Did you love it?

Food Photo Friday - Jack Allen's Kitchen

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 23:27:00 +0000

Aren't these shrimp tostada bites from Jack Allen's Kitchen purrrrrty? They were serving these tasty nuggets at a fundraiser thrown by the United Way Young Leaders Society last week. I went through the line a few times...enough times that Jack Allen himself finally introduced himself to me. He was extremely gracious about me eating all his food.

If you haven't been to Jack Allen's Kitchen, it's worth the drive. The food never disappoints, and they've got a terrific, open space with a large patio that is perfect for this fantastic spring weather. Here are a few bonus photos from previous visits to Jack Allen's. These were all taken with my old camera.

Their homemade pimento cheese & crackers, which is served before every meal. I didn't know pimento cheese could taste good until I had it here.

The Navaho Taco. It is ginormous. That flash fried spinach just dissolves in your mouth...I am sure it must be very healthy.

Speaking of healthy, this is the Trout Salad. Yes, they actually call this a "salad" on their menu.
My kind of salad!

Hope to see you out there, and happy Friday!

Food Photo(s) Friday - Love Balls Bus

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 18:01:00 +0000

Thank god for food trailers. They've been scurrying to plug up some of the holes in our food scene. Take Love Balls Bus, for instance. They've brought a Japanese street food called takoyaki to East Sixth Street. In case you're not acquainted with takoyaki (I wasn't), they're balls of savory pancake filled with octopus, pickled ginger, and green onions, and fried to order. Before serving, they top the balls with a brown sauce, kewpie mayo, aonori, and bonito flakes, which curl and twirl as if they are alive and look disturbingly like giant flakes of fish food.

Takoyaki - $6 for eight balls.

This was my first foray with takoyaki, and I'll admit that I wasn't quite expecting them to be quite so...glutinous...inside. I liked them, but preferred Love Balls' garlic yaki-onigiri, which was like a big, delicious ball of comfort food to me. Sushi rice is formed into a ball and grilled in garlic soy sauce till it's just a little crunchy on the outside. I could've eaten an army of these, and at $3 for two large balls, that's a possibility. It comes with a slice of nori, so you can just wrap it up and go.

Takoyaki made to order, anyone?

Love Balls Bus
1001 E. 6th Street
Austin, TX 78702
Website